THE CABLE
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says its demand for a pay rise is not outrageous.
On Saturday, NARD threatened to embark on strike if the government fails to meet its demands within two weeks.
The association demanded a 200 percent upward review of the consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS) and payment of the salary arrears to resident doctors.
Reacting, Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, had described the demands as “absurd”, adding that the resident doctors demonstrate an “entitlement syndrome”.
Speaking during a Channels Television programme on Tuesday, Innocent Orji, NARD president, said doctors and nurses were not part of the last minimum wage increase.
He said any increment to their pay should be based on the inflation rate from 2009 till date.
“When people hear that we are demanding 200 percent upward review, it may sound outrageous but we didn’t just come up with that figure. I’ll give an instance, the exchange rate then was N152/$1. We know what it is today. The fuel price then was N65/litre. We know the amount today and there is even an imminent increment,” he said
